Snook

Very Cool Thanks..I am always fascinated to see lighting set-ups no matter what the subject is.. I shoot fashion but love the whole concept..Very nice shot and lighting..I wish we could have a thread or forum here to show lighting set-ups and the results..Been shooting for 20 years but still love to see the behind the seens stuff..:+]Snook

Snook

I hope more people contribute. While I like seeing the images in the recent work thread, I too really love seeing the creation side, how to, thoughts of the photographer, and more.

I'll add more set-ups in hopes of others getting in as well. PDN has done an issue or so a year with lighting set-ups and photo interview and thefstopmag.com is very cool. I see this type stuff more informative that most anything. I can always see photos anywhere, anytime but it is few and far between that we see the making of the photos.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=193153\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Thanks John Great Link there.. I have never seen that one before..You know which PDN issue/s had these set-ups?would love to see them?Thanks againSnook

PDN calls it the "Lighting Master" series. I found it in Oct/07, Feb/07, Nov/06 issues (and more going further back). I'm behind on issues from this year, so there may be one a few months back.[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

PDN Lighting Masters has been around for years - I was featured back in 2003 or 2004 dont remember.

here is an excellent file that I use to create lighting diagrams examples:

I cant open thefstopmag.com, is it http://thefstopmag.com ?And for the PDNonline, do you think it worth a rigistration? I didn't find the lighting set-up thing and I wonder maybe it's just not free.

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I hope more people contribute. While I like seeing the images in the recent work thread, I too really love seeing the creation side, how to, thoughts of the photographer, and more.

I'll add more set-ups in hopes of others getting in as well. PDN has done an issue or so a year with lighting set-ups and photo interview and thefstopmag.com is very cool. I see this type stuff more informative that most anything. I can always see photos anywhere, anytime but it is few and far between that we see the making of the photos.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=193153\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

well I can open thefstopmag now, it's just banned by the GFW(Great Firewall of China) so I have to use a crack...

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I cant open thefstopmag.com, is it http://thefstopmag.com ?And for the PDNonline, do you think it worth a rigistration? I didn't find the lighting set-up thing and I wonder maybe it's just not free. [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=193249\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Snook

The outlook is good. -H.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=193261\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I often forget myself what I did for some shot's.I now have one of my assistants film backstage stuff all the time now with my lighting set-ups and f stops...:+}Will try to post some stuff here soon..:+}Not in my studio this week where they are..SNook

What a great idea! It's a shame that this thread has been dormant for so long. I'll have a go at this... I'm pretty new, fairly young and in absolute awe of some of the regulars here on LL, so cut me some slack

This piece was actually previously written for a different audience - a Flickr group. Mostly amateur or budding hobbyist photographers, so a lot of this is probably very basic to many of the readers here. I've slightly revised it here - nonetheless, I hope someone can glean a bit of information or inspiration from my post.

When I first got into this whole lighting thing, before Strobist even existed, (but not too long ago... I'm still a young'un), I didn't know very much at all about actually designing light. I just blasted my subject with light from an arbitrary angle, usually 45 degrees off the camera's axis, and only because that's what I'd seen once or twice in a book. Or something. As I shot more and more and really began to study the effects of lighting, I began to see how light and shadow interact, how they effect the dynamic of a photograph, and how to best use them to create compelling imagery. Being able to instinctively see the light that will eventually shoot forth for 1/3000 of a second is one of the keystones to becoming a competent photographer. Of course, this holds true both in the studio or on location, with large, powerful studio lighting, or small and light Vivitar 285's.

I'd like to present one of my recent photos. This was shot as a personal piece for stock and more importantly, for pure enjoyment.

The whole point of this: I could just as easily have been lazy and put up the key light on a stand next to me on the ladder, but that wouldn't have illuminated the rest of wall as evenly. In fact, that's where I initially positioned it. However, I was unhappy with my results and spent a bit of time searching for a better light position until I found what's seen in the above shot. Had the strip box been positioned anywhere but directly behind him, the characteristics of the light would have been totally different and not given the smooth highlight along his soles and legs, but a harsher rim light, which I didn't want.

Actually having a purpose and a plan for your lighting is absolutely essential to turning out polished work. Learn the behaviors of your modifiers inside and out so you can accurately predict how each will shape the light... don't guess and check during a live shoot. Once you bore your model (or in this case, exhaust your climber), you've probably "lost the battle."

I hope this kicks off a great new group and I'm hoping to learn even more than I'm planning to share. In the mean time, I'm off to try and drum up some more business and cold e-mail as many NYC photographers as I can looking for assistant/digital tech positions . Happy shooting!

(Oh, for what it's worth, those were Dynalite 4040 heads inside Chimera softboxes, each running off an individual Dynalite 1000WS packs).